Open Access

Paul Adam, Geoff Williams

• Australian subtropical rainforests and plant populations have become increasingly fragmented since European settlement. Managing relict populations and remnants within the landscape matrix is dependent upon our understanding of plant reproductive biology. The incidence of autogamous self-compatibility and dioecy was investigated in subtropical rainforests, near Taree, in the Manning Valley (northern New South Wales). The proportion of dioecious species in rainforests of the region is high (~17%), but varies among sites. The potential for hermaphroditic species to self-pollinate was examined by bagging inflorescences in the field. Of the > 30 species (in 14 families) studied, nine species exhibited high levels of selfcompatibility. These were predominantly pioneer and edge species, but other pioneer species were self-incompatible. Different behaviour occurred within families. Twenty species (in 13 families) regenerated from basal coppice or root suckers following bushfire. The significance of knowledge of reproductive biology for management is discussed.